Direction signal



Tuly 8, 1930. J MEEHAN 1,770,083

DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed March 5, 1929 I IN VEN TOR. V

f0kn i l Me han,

A TTORNE Y,

Patented July 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN P. MEEHAN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA DIRECTION SIGNAL Application filed March 5, 1929. Serial No. 344,255.

the head of which arm is mounted a V-shaped' neon tube for effectively lighting the arm when signalling.

Another object is to provide a direction signal comprising a signal arm in the 'form of an arrow, on the shank of which is mounted a longitudinally extending neon tube visible from one side only of the arm, and on the head of which arm is mounted a V-shaped neon tube visible from both sides of the arm for distinctively lighting the arm when signalling.

A further object is to provide in a direction signal, improved means for pivotally mount- 5 ing the signal arm.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

This invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing, which forms apart of this specification, and in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my signal shown mounted on an automobile.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of my signal and illustrating how it is mounted on an automobile, a portion of which being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the electric circuit for controlling the lighting of my signal.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the signal operating means and light controlling switch.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the signal operating means and light controlling switch taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the signal taken on line 66 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a cross section of the signal arm taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a cross section of the signal arm taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Corresponding parts are designated by the same reference characters in all the figures.

My invention comprises a signal arm 1, a signal arm mounting 2, signal arm operating means 3, a neon light tube 4 mounted within said arm, and a light circuit 5, including a light controlling switch 6.

The signal arm 1 may be in the form of an arrow with a shank 7 and an arrow head 8. The signal arm 1 may be made in two sections, a front section 9 and a rear section 10, the section 10 being formed with an offset flange 11 at its edge and with a shoulder 12,

which flange overlaps the edge of the section 9 with said edge resting against the shoulder 12. The shank 7 of the arm is provided with a longitudinal slot 13 in its rear side only or in the rear wall of the arm section 10. The arrow head 8 of the signal arm is provided with V-shaped slots 14 and 15 in its front and rear sides or in the front and rear walls of the sections 9 and 10 respectively. Blocks 16 and 17 are placed within the signal arm 1 in the rear end of the'shank 7 and in the head 8 respectively, in which blocks is mounted the neon light tube 4. Said tube is formed with a straight portion 19 and is bent V-shape at one end in the form of an arrow head as indicated at 20, said straight portion being secured at its rear end in the block 16 and said V-shaped end being secured in the block 17 so that said straight portion of the tube registers with and may be seen through the straight slot 13 from the rear of the arm while the V-shaped end portion 20 registers with and may be seen through the openings 14 and 15 respectively from the front and the rear of the arm. The sections-9 and 10 are detachably secured together by means of screws 21 and 22 which engage the blocks 16 and 17 respectively.

The arm mounting 2 comprises a stud 23, a clamp bracket 24, and a ball and socket joint 25 by means of which said bracket is universall mounted on the outer end of said stud, the all 26 of said joint being formed on the outer end of said stud and the socket 27 of said joint being formed on the inner end of said bracket. The stud 23 extends through the left side wall 28 of an automobile and is formed with a flange 29 which,

formed halves of the ball socket 27 and on the forward ends of which are formed the members of a fork 36 in which is pivoted the rear end of the signal arm 1 by means of a ivot bolt 37 and a nut 38 on the end of the olt, the head of the bolt engaging one member of the fork and said nut engaging theother member of the fork. The members 34 and of the bracket 24 are clamped together by means of a clamp bolt 39 and nut 40 whereby the socket 27 is clamped 'on the .ball 26 with the bracket'adjusted at any angle. a

he signal arm operating means 3 comprises a clam bracket 41, an operating crank 42 journaled 1n said bracket and formed with a handle 43 and a crank arm 44, a wire 45 connected at one end to said arm 44 and at its other end to the upper end of the signal arm 1 by means of a connecting member 46, and a tube 47 throu h which said wire extends, one end of sai tube being secured in the wall 28 of the automobile and the other end of said tube being secured in an arm 48 adjustably mounted on the clamp bracket 41 by screws 49 extending through slots 50 in said bracket. The clamp bracket 41 .is formed with a clamp 51 and may be clamped on the steering post 52 of an automobile by means of said clamp. The wire 45 is of stiff material such as steel iano wire, so as to prevent its bending an buckling at the exposed portions thereof.

Four stops 53, 54, 55 and 56 are secured on the clamp bracket 41 which are notched at their upper ends respectively at 57 to be engaged by aresilient detent 58 on the arm 44 for holding the signal arm 1 in its difl'erent ositions.

Tiie li ht controlling switch 6 comprises a pair 0 stationary contacts 60 and 61 and a movable contact 62 for wiping the contacts 60 and 61. The contacts 60 and 61 are secured on a block of insulation 63 while the contact 62 is secured on the o crating crank arm 44. The crank 42 is slida ly journaled in the bracket 41 and is surrounded by a spring 64 below the bracket, which bears against the bracket and against a collar 64' on the lower end of the crank, which spring yieldingly holds the detent 58 in any of the stops 53, 54, 55 or 56 and the switch contact 62 in engagement with contacts 60 and 61.

The light circuit 5 comprises a battery 65, an ammeter 66, switch 6, transformer 67 and neon tube 4. One terminal of the battery is connected by a lead 68 to ground 69 while the other terminal of the battery is connected by a lead 70 to one terminal of the ammeter 66. A lead 71 connects the other terminal of the ammeter 66 to the stationary switch contact 60. The other stationary contact 61 of the switch 6 and one terminal of transformer 67 are connected by a lead 72. Another terminal of the transformer 67 is connected by a lead 7 3 to ground 74. A third terminal of the transformer and one terminal of the neon tube 18 are connected by a lead 75. The other terminal of the neon tube is connected by a lead 76 to ground 77.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

Normally the signal arm 1 hangs down vertically, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and is held in such position by the engagement of the detent 58 with the notch 57 of stop 53, while the light switch 6 is off, the contact 62 being out of engagement with the contacts 60 and 61, and no light appearing in the neon tube 4. The arm 1 is swung by grasping the handle 43 and turning the crank 42, whereupon the circuit 5 is closed, the switch contact 62 engaging the contacts 60 and 61, and current flows from the battery 65 through lead 70,.

ammeter 66, lead 71, switch 6, lead 72, transformer 67, lead 75, neon tube 4, lead -7 6 to ground 77 and from ground 69 through lead 68 back to battery 65. The closing of the li ht circuit illuminates the neon tube 4, w ereupon the straight illuminated portion 19 of the tube is visible from the rear of the signal arm 1 through slot 13, while the illuminated V-shaped portion 20 of the tube is visible from the front, and the rear of the signal arm through slots 14 and 15 respectively- When the signal arm is swung out slightly to indicate slow or fstop the detent 58 engages the notched stop 54 and holds the arm in such position. When the arm is swung up into horizontal position to indicate a left turn, the detent 58 engages the notched stop 55 and holds the arm in such position. When the arm is swung up into position above the horizontal to signal a right turn, the detent 58 engages the notched stop 56 and holds the arm in such position until swung down.

I. do not limit my invention to the exact construction herein disclosed because various changes therein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A direction signal comprising a hollow arm formed ofmating sections attached together and including an elongated body with an arrow head thereon, one side of said body having a longitudinal aperture therein, said head having a 'V shaped aperture in a side thereof, a gas filled tube supported within said body and having a longitudinal portion visible through said longitudinal aperture and a bent portion visible through said V shaped aperture, and means for connecting said tube with a source of electric current.

2. A direction signal comprising a hollow arm in the form of an arrow with an elongated body and a head at one end thereof, one side only of said body having a longitudinal aperture therein and both sides of both sides of the arm, and means for connecting said tube with a source of electric current.

3. A direction signal comprising a hollow arm in the form of an elongated body with an arrow head thereon, one side of said body having a longitudinal aperture therein, said head having a V-shaped aperture in a side thereof, a gas filled tube supported within said body and having a longitudinal portion visible through said longitudinal aperture and a bent portion visible through said V-.

shaped aperture, and means for connecting said tube with a source of electric current.

JOHN P. MEEHAN. 

